OUR VIEW: Poking at Washington

Published: Sunday, February 3, 2013 at 6:01 a.m.

Last Modified: Monday, February 4, 2013 at 4:17 p.m.

The 2013 session of the Alabama Legislature will begin Tuesday. It's a crucial one. We know that's repetitive given the last few years, but it's true.

That's why we are hoping the circus, at least in the House, is a brief one.

A few weeks ago, the House Republican Caucus announced its agenda for the session. It pledged that the first vote to be cast in that chamber would be on a bill mandating that money borrowed last year from the Alabama Trust Fund to prop up the General Fund be repaid.

We're on board with that. The constitutional amendment approved by voters authorizing that transfer contained no provision for repayment, but the governor and legislative leaders insisted the money would be repaid, and it's good to see politicians keep a promise. We hope the Senate follows suit.

The rest of the House agenda borrows Alabama's state motto “We Dare Defend Our Rights,” and has been billed as a response to President Barack Obama's “left-leaning agenda” and an attempt to “repel these attacks on our fundamental rights,” according to Speaker Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn.

It includes bills to protect Second Amendment gun ownership rights, restrict abortion clinics and allow some employers to opt out of Obamacare's requirements to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives.

We understand the election results of 2010 and 2012. We understand the current party breakdown in the Legislature. We understand most Alabamians will support if not outright cheer for these bills. We're on record as not being totally pleased with the current administration's agenda, either, on some of the very issues that are being discussed here.

We're also aware of Alabama's batting average in its various windmill jousts with the federal government over the last 60 years.

It has yet to change one comma of the concept of federal supremacy that was settled in 1865 and reinforced 100 years later, and that various presidential administrations way to the right of Obama's have never given anything more than lip service to reversing. We've seen nothing to indicate these attempts will be any more successful.

But if Republicans are intent on this course, let them get it out of their system and get on with the rest of their agenda.

We like the idea of individual school systems being able to operate flexibly according to their specific needs and concerns, instead of being frustrated by “one size fits all policies.” (That should apply to yearly calendars, too.)

We like the commitment to make ballot language clearer. (Some of the recent constitutional amendments would confound a student of ancient tongues.)

We like the continued emphasis on workforce development and making sure new regulations don't unfairly affect small businesses.

And we're solidly behind the commitment to streamline state government.

Those are all good things, arguably conservative things, that don't involve poking at Washington with a sharp stick.

<p>The 2013 session of the Alabama Legislature will begin Tuesday. It's a crucial one. We know that's repetitive given the last few years, but it's true. </p><p>That's why we are hoping the circus, at least in the House, is a brief one.</p><p>A few weeks ago, the House Republican Caucus announced its agenda for the session. It pledged that the first vote to be cast in that chamber would be on a bill mandating that money borrowed last year from the Alabama Trust Fund to prop up the General Fund be repaid.</p><p>We're on board with that. The constitutional amendment approved by voters authorizing that transfer contained no provision for repayment, but the governor and legislative leaders insisted the money would be repaid, and it's good to see politicians keep a promise. We hope the Senate follows suit.</p><p>The rest of the House agenda borrows Alabama's state motto “We Dare Defend Our Rights,” and has been billed as a response to President Barack Obama's “left-leaning agenda” and an attempt to “repel these attacks on our fundamental rights,” according to Speaker Mike Hubbard, R-Auburn.</p><p>It includes bills to protect Second Amendment gun ownership rights, restrict abortion clinics and allow some employers to opt out of Obamacare's requirements to provide insurance coverage for contraceptives.</p><p>We understand the election results of 2010 and 2012. We understand the current party breakdown in the Legislature. We understand most Alabamians will support if not outright cheer for these bills. We're on record as not being totally pleased with the current administration's agenda, either, on some of the very issues that are being discussed here.</p><p>We're also aware of Alabama's batting average in its various windmill jousts with the federal government over the last 60 years.</p><p>It has yet to change one comma of the concept of federal supremacy that was settled in 1865 and reinforced 100 years later, and that various presidential administrations way to the right of Obama's have never given anything more than lip service to reversing. We've seen nothing to indicate these attempts will be any more successful.</p><p>But if Republicans are intent on this course, let them get it out of their system and get on with the rest of their agenda.</p><p>We like the idea of individual school systems being able to operate flexibly according to their specific needs and concerns, instead of being frustrated by “one size fits all policies.” (That should apply to yearly calendars, too.)</p><p>We like the commitment to make ballot language clearer. (Some of the recent constitutional amendments would confound a student of ancient tongues.)</p><p>We like the continued emphasis on workforce development and making sure new regulations don't unfairly affect small businesses.</p><p>And we're solidly behind the commitment to streamline state government.</p><p>Those are all good things, arguably conservative things, that don't involve poking at Washington with a sharp stick.</p>